


You've never seen a thing (maybe you don't want to) [then again, maybe you do]

by Void_Home



Series: Blind Chat [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, back at it again boys, blind chat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:27:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26637331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Void_Home/pseuds/Void_Home
Summary: "Ladybug?"His voice is a bit more stable, but he refuses to look up until the click of her shoes hit the pavement beside him. Then, and only then does he lift his head. Striking green eyes meet hers for only a second, no fog covering them for the first time in a year and a half knowing him. And then they snap shut as he grimaces. Instead of taking what meager sight Chat already possessed, it had given him full vision. And it was overwhelming him.
Series: Blind Chat [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1704121
Comments: 2
Kudos: 37





	1. Agnosia

**Author's Note:**

> Agnosia is the inability to process sensory information. In Chat's case, visual information.
> 
> Molyneux's problem is a thought experiment in philosophy concerning immediate recovery from blindness.
> 
> Back at it again with my Blind Chat series. Next chapter is fully finished, I'm just drawing up the picture! Expect update within a day or two!

"Ladybug?"  
Chat's voice is trembling. He's staring straight at the ground after being sent flying when the akuma's attack hit him. Ladybug can't see his face from where she is, but the way his voice wobbles makes her worried. She flings herself around a lightpole to get to the ground.  
"Ladybug?"  
His voice is a bit more stable, but he refuses to look up until the click of her shoes hit the pavement beside him. Then, and only then does he lift his head. Striking green eyes meet hers for only a second, no fog covering them for the first time in a year and a half knowing him. And then they snap shut as he grimaces. Instead of taking what meager sight Chat already possessed, it had given him full vision. And it was overwhelming him.  
"L.. Ladybug?"  
His voice suddenly sounds so small. Chat's hand reaches for her and she slips her own into his willingly. Gently pulls him upright and starts running with him.  
As long as his eyes are shut, he's keeping up. He can't resist the urge to open his eyes though, and each time he does, he stumbles. So he brings his other hand up to cover his face and falls perfectly in line with Ladybug's steps. He trusted her to guide him, just like she had every other time.

* * *

  
Her hand lets go of his and Chat lets out a panicked noise, until he hears a light switch and the sound of a heavy door shutting. Somewhere safe? He chews his lip before peaking an eye open, greeted to a dim room. It's easier to stomach and parse than full light out on the streets. Ladybug is pulling the blinds down and he realizes she's trying to make him comfortable. Chat raises his hand to look at it, noting the button on the side of his- his lips purse and he raises his other hand to touch and feel- his cuff. That was his cuff yes. He opens his other eye and grimaces a bit, not knowing Ladybug had turned to watch him. This _was_ his cuff. Why hadn't he been able to tell? Was it because he'd never been able to see so clearly before? There's another button near his elbow. Chat's fingers trace the path his eyes take, to confirm what his mind was trying to tell him. He thinks he'd heard about this before. Moly...Molynox's theory? Something like that. His father had worried it might happen to him if his abysmal vision got better. Blind people who had their sight restored experienced difficulties understanding what they were seeing was the crux of the theory, he's pretty sure. And, Chat decides, it might be true. He looks up at Ladybug, blinking owlishly a few times as he struggles to figure out who- he knows!- he's looking at.  
"Ladybug?"  
She steps closer slowly, so she doesn't startle him, and lets him reach forward like he usually did to touch her shoulder. Once she'd found out he was blind, she'd let him touch her more, as she realized that it was his way of _orienting_ himself. Sure, sometimes he did it just to flirt, but it was usually accompanied with words when he did. The way his eyes stare just over her shoulder worries her, until he looks at her face and near instantly shuts them again. "I can turn the lamp off, if it's still too much, Chat." She'd left it on for her own sake, but if everything was still too much-  
Chat shakes his head and takes a deep breath to steady himself and opens his eyes again. "No- No. It's fine. It's just... A lot. There's a lot. I'm not used to-" a pause as he leans in to look at her mask, counting the dots that he could now see, "- this much detail. I just need a few minutes." He's getting better. Chat wonders if his reaction would be worse if he'd still been as blind as he had been when he was a child. He leans back and slowly lets go of her shoulder to look at his surroundings. "Thanks- I don't think I'd have been able to get away on my own. That was... it was really overwhelming at furrst."  
The pun falls flat with how his voice trembles and Ladybug takes his hand, guides him to a chair so he can sit and figure things out. "Like I'd leave you behind, chaton." They have the time to spare for him to do this, and she thought he might appreciate it. "Take your time. I managed to lose the akuma on the way."  
Chat Noir sits in the chair and watches Ladybug as she moves around, trying to center himself. To parse the visual information he's getting. Something familiar made it easier to understand and soon enough he sighs deeply. "You can... You can turn the lights on buggaboo. I think I can handle them."


	2. Chapter 2

It takes three days to figure out how to defeat the akuma. By the end of day 2, Chat has adjusted to seeing things. Mostly. He has trouble with turning like a startled animal when something moves in his peripherals, and he doesn't really understand the concept of depth perception, but he's getting there.  
It's why, as he's standing on the railing looking over Paris in the dark, he feels a bit somber. He'd likely never see things in this much clarity again. He's not sure how he feels about this. Ear flicks to one side as the beat of tiny wings reach him. The butterfly floats past his shoulder and he regards the white bug before turning back to Ladybug, who's holding the charm in one hand. Why was she hesitating? Because of him? Chat forces the sad smile off his face. "Go ahead buggaboo. Don't you worry about me. I'm purrfect either way."  
She looks at him with that same look. Is it pity? She knows he hates being pitied. Ladybug crosses the rooftop and pulls herself up beside him, offers him her arm. There's only a few seconds of hesitation before she feels his weight lean against her and his head drop to her shoulder. "I'm sorry we can't make it permanent."  
As the butterflies scatter, she feels Chat shift his weight more, and a single paper is pressed into her now empty palm. Ladybug tilts her head to look down- only to be stopped by Chat.  
"Don't look. Not until you get home. It's a surprise."  
They stand there until her miraculous beeps angrily, and she sighs. "You'll make it home alright?" He leans back and puts his hands in his pockets, flashing her a grin. She pointedly ignores the glaze over his eyes and the way they don't meet hers correctly.  
"I said not to worry, buggaboo!"  
She tries not to, until she sees the picture he'd drawn for her. It's beautiful.  
  
She puts it in her diary, right next to the first one he'd drawn.


End file.
